Gelatinous product



sept. 18, 1934.

D, ABERNETHY GELATINOUS PRODUCT Filed Sept.l 29. 1951 Patented i Sept.I8, 1934 PATENT OFFICE UNITED STATES Chms.

5 for use.

Glue and other gelatinous products, such vas gelatin, which are preparedfrom animal matter,

are extracted from the animal material inthe form of a solution which isevaporated to the consistency of a jelly and is then driedfto the formof glue which is available on the market. Considerable diiiiculties areencountered in drying the glue or other gelatinous material -from thejellylike mass to l, hard, solid form in which it is known commercially.In drying, the conditions must be very closely regulated in order toeffect the proper drying of the glue or other gelatinous material. Dueto the fact that the drying of bodies of gelatinous material takes placeat the surface exposed to the drying medium, the for drying isprolonged. There is a tendency for the formation of a more or lessimpervious coating on the body of glue or other gelatinous material,which retards the drying. It will be appreciated, therefore, that ifbodies of glue or similar material are subjected to this type of drying,the material to bedried must be exposed to the drying medium for aconsiderable period of time in order that the material be completelydried.

After the glue is dried and prepared in a marketable form, it will befound that considerable time must be expended in order to get the glueinto a solution so that it may be used. Attempts have been made toreduce the time of dissolution, but even when the material is finelydivided, a considerable time is necessary.

The present invention seeks to overcome the disadvantages inherent inthe prior art by forming the glue jelly in bodies of such shape that themaximum amount of surface area is provided for the volume of glue. Ithas been found that by preparing the glue jelly in the form of smallcatkin-like bodies, the same may be rapidly dried upon exposing it tothe action of a drying medium. Also.' the nished product which is in theformof catkin-like bodies is readily soluble in water and may be veryquickly prepared for use.

An object of this invention is to provide a gelatin product which may berapidly dried.

Another object of this invention is to prepare a glue or othergelatinous product in such a form that the surface area of the productis relatively high compared to its volume.

Yet another object of this invention is to pre- (Cl. S'I-T) pare glue orother gelatinous substances in theV form of porous bodies. A. Stillanother obiect of this invention is to provide a glue or othergelatinous material product in the form of a catkin having airincorporated therein.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a gelatin-likeproduct comprising gelatinous material in granular form having airincorporated therein and formed into catkin-like bodies.

`Witl1 these and other objects in view which may appear incident toimprovements herein set forth, the invention consists in the formationof glue or other gelatinous material in the form of bodies so shaped asto provide for the .rapid drying of the same and the rapid dissolutionof the dried product whenthe same is to be used.

In the drawing, there are shown several figures illustrating the formofthe product prepared in Figure 3 is a cross sectional view' takenthrough r one of the'catkins of gelatinous material showing the mannerin which air is incorporated in the granular gelatinous material.

In accordance with the present invention, glue or an edible gelatin istreated to form the saine into small catkin-like bodies, the outersurface of which is covered with a multiplicity of spicules which tendto increase the ratio of the exposed surface area'to the total volume ofthe bodiea It will be appreciated that such bodies may be more rapidlydried upon exposing them to a dry-` ing atmosphere than bodies in whichthe ratio of the surface area to the volume is low.

Since the rate of drying of glue or other gelatinous substance is afunction of the ratio of the area to the volume, any body of thematerial in which the ratio of the surface area to the volume isrelatively high, may be dried at a. higher rate than bodies of thegelatinous material in which the surface-volume ratio is low.

Gelatinous products prepared as herein described have a relatively highsurface-volume ratio. and consequently may be subjected to rapid dryingwithout the disadvantage of producing bodies, the exterior of which isdry and the interior of which is in a soft moist condition.

In preparingthe gelatin bodies having a high surface-volume ratio, stepsmust be taken to alter the physical property of the material, so that itwill retain its form while drying. It has been found that ifthegelatinous material is reduced to a jelly like consistency and is thengranulated and intimately mixed with air, s. mass will be obtained thatwill retain its form during drying.

If the gelatinous material is granulated and mixed with air underpressure; and then is extruded through small apertures, the mass will beprojected the form of catkin-like strings having a multiplicity ofspicules on its surface.

Upon extrusion of the catkin-like bodies through the small apertures,the mass of granulated gelatinous material hav'mg air incorporatedtherein is expanded by reason of the release of pressure on the airincorporated in the granulated mass. This results in the production ofbodies having an intumesced appearance and which are highly porous.

In the preparation of gelatinous products in accordance with the presentinvention, the solution containing the gelatinous material is evaporatedto the desired specific gravity, which upon chilling, will result in theproduction of the more or less solid body. This solution is then runinto a trough which distributes the same in a thin layer upon a chilledroll. If the warm solution which is of jelly-like consistency is at atemperature between 110 and 120 F., and is deposited as a thin film onthe chilled roll, a solid film will be produced on the roll. It ispreferable to regulate the temperature of the roll so as to cause thefilm of gelatinous material on the roll to be reduced to a temperatureapproximating 40 F.

j-This cooled film is scraped from the roll and the flakes resultingfrom the scraping of the film from the roll are then further treated toproduce the desired product.

The successful production of the catkin-like bodies of gelatinousmaterial depends upon several conditions, namely, the amount of drysolids contained in the gelatinous solution after evaporation; thepressure in the chamber in which the material is mixed with air; and thetemperature in this chamber. In order to illustrate the possiblevariations in the process, it has been found that a medium grade orquality of glue may be treated in accordance with the present invention,if the solution is evaporated to produce a jelly of 14 Baum, containing31% dry solids and 69% water. In this instance, pressures from 50 to 70pounds per square inch in the compression chamber work satisfactory. Fora better grade of glue, the solution was evaporated to 0 Baum,containing 21.5% dry solids and 78.5% Water.I In this instance, thepressure may range from 30 to 40 pounds per square inch. With a highgrade of hide glue, ideal results may be obtained if the solution isevaporated to 7 Baume, containing 14.5% dry solids and 85.5% Water. Inthis instance, the pressure in the compression chamber may range from 20to 30 pounds per square inch.

For the best operation, the temperature of the jelly during theintermingling of the same with air should be maintained around v40 F. Inthis instance, satisfactory results are obtained if the temperature ismaintained between 36 and 40 F.

As before pointed out, in order to produce the product forming thesubject matter of the present invention, it is necessary to granulatethe gelatinous material and incorporate air therein. One method ofaccomplishing this result is to introduce the chilled flake jelly into achamber in which is positioned a revolving screw. The revolving screw isapproximately the same diameter as the cham- Ithe screw that it willhave a tendency to beat or incorporate the air into the flake jelly. Themass of granulated aerated gelatinous material which is forced towardone end of the chamber by reason of the screw will be placed under apressure. In

order to produce the product forming the sub-A ject matter of thepresent invention, apertures are provided in the compression end of thechamber containing the mass of granulated gelatinous material and airunder pressure, through which the mass is extruded into the atmosphere.Upon being extruded into the atmosphere, the mass tends to expand as aresult of the pressure differential and the Walls of the extruded massburst through, forming a semi-porous light and fluffy catkin-like bodyof the gelatinous material.

In Figure 2 of the drawing, an enlarged view of the catkin-like body ofextruded gelatinous material is shown. It will be noted from this figurethat the outer surface of the string of material 1 is so serrated as toproduce a plurality of small spicules 2 which cover the entire surfaceof the catkin-like body.

As the mass of gelatinous material is extruded from the apertures in theWall of the compression chamber, there is a series of explosionsresulting in the formation of the spicules. As a result of the series ofexplosions, the catkin-like string of the material has the spiculesrather evenly spaced along the surface of the material. In addition tothe spicules formed upon the surface of the catkin-like string ofgelatinous material, the mterior of the body is rendered porous byreason of the expansion of the air particles entrapped in the mass ofthe granulated material. In Figure 3, a cross section through thecatkin-like string illustrates the manner in which the air bubbles 3 areformed Within the interior body of the string. In addition to therelatively large bubbles 3 shown in Figure 3, the entire body of thecatkin-like string of material is rendered porous by reason of thegranulation of the glue jeily before the same is formed into the cathn.The spicules, of course, are porous to the same extent as the body ofthe catkin-like string.-

While the sponge-like spicules formed on the surface of the explosionproduct extruded through the apertures in the pressure chamber have theappearance of spines on a catkin, they also are of petticoat formationand somewhat resemble the form of so called petticoat insulators. Itwill be appreciated that as a result of the reduction in pressure uponthe mass extruded through the apertures in the Wall of the compressionchamber, a product is obtained, the surface area of which is relativelyhigh compared to the volume of the material. Also, as a result of thegranulation of the same, and the incorporation of air therein, a porousproduct is obtained having a plurality of air voids therein.

In most instances, it has been found that as a result of theincorporation of the air in the granulated mass of gelatinous material,its volume is increased approximately six times that of the originalbody of gelatinous material. Also, as a result of the production of theserrated surface on the catkin-like body, the surface area is increasedseveral hundred times that of the original surface area of the body ofthe glue.

The bodies of porous granular sponge-like structure extruded from thechamber of the mixing ist device when deposited upon the conveyor beltfor conveying the same into a dryer will retain their shape so as topermit drying of the material in substantially the same form as it isextruded from the pressure chamber. Y

It has been found from actual experiment that gelatinous material in theform produced as herein described may be dried in a period` ofapproximately two hours compared to a matter of days in the drying ofthe ordinary glue products. Drying of the products herein describedmaybe edected in any desired manner. For instance, the products may bedeposited upon a porous conveyor belt which moves the material throughthe drying chamber in which the material is subjected to the action of adrying gas. of drying may be resorted to to effect drying of theproduct.

After the product is dried. it will be found that the same is in theform of catkin-like strings of porous sponge-like materials, the outersurface of which is covered with a plurality of petticoatlike spicules.The high surface-volume ratio of `the product extruded from thecompression charnber still exists in the finished dry product. Thisproperty is advantageous in the finished product in water. In the caseof glue, such as property is highly advantageous in that the glue may berapidly prepared for use in a minimum of time. For instance, glueprepared in this .form can be soaked in cold water and be ready forlioint work in thirty minutes. The glues prepared in accordance withprior art methods require from ten to twelve hours to effect a solutionof the same, even when ground relatively line.

In addition to the products shown in the drawing, the material may beextruded from the compression chamber in tubular form. in which in-lstance, the catkin-like strings will be relatively hollow, affording alarger surface area. It is also within the purview of my invention toform the material into a fiat band. or any extruded shape/continuouslyformed.

Of course. other methodsy While the present product has been describedwith particular reference to glue. it is to be clearlyl` understood thatproducts having the form herein described may be 'prepared from glue.edible gelatin or other gelatinous materials.

While I have shown andV described the preferred embodiment of myinvention. I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself tothe precise details herein set forth by way of illustration. as it isapparent that changes and variations may be made by those skilled in theart without departing from the spirit of. the invention. or exceedingthe scope of the appended claims.

I claim:I

l. A dry glue product having a large surface ratio and in the form of astring-like unit having a plurality of substantially overlappins andnestmpetticoat serrations extending from a central 9o 2. A dryspongelike glue product having a large surface ratio and in the form ofa string-like unit having a plurality of substantially overlapping andnested petticoat serrations extending from a central axis, suchserrations being formed by planes of cleavage; l

3. A dry. granulated and spongelike glue product in the form of avstring-like unit having a plurality of substantially overlapping andnested petticoat serrations. f 4. A dry. granulated and spongelike glueproduct in the form' of la. string-like unit having a plurality ofsubstantially overlapping and nested petticoat serrations extending froma central axis.

5. A dry. granulated and spongeiike glue product in the form of a stringhaving a plurality of 'substantially'v overlapplns and nested petticoatDAVID ABERNETHY.

